Package with totally enclosed parallel channels



IN ENTQR ATTORNEYS l s 'Sheets-rShet 1 l|||||I| 9. K

ROBERT T, ELIAS I -R.' T. ELIAS PACKAGE WITH TOTALLY ENCLOSED PARALLEL CHANNELS.

Oct. 13, 1970 Fild April 22. 1956 IFIG Oct. 13, 1970 1; EUAS Q r 3,533,874

' PACKAGE wmx TOTALLY ncnoszn PARALLEL CHANNELS I Filed April 22, 1966 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Y INVENTOR ROBERT T. ELIAS I BY A) fllaim Vain ll-(L 5 lam ATTORNEYS PACKAGE WITH TOTALLY ENCLOSED PARALLEL CHANNELS v Filed April 22, 1966 R, 1'. ELIAS Oct. 13,1970

a She'ts-Sheet 5 25 I so IIII I lN VENTOR ROBERT T. {ELIAS BY v 9 J r/ A v ATTORNEYJ 3,533,874 PACKAGE WITH TOTALLY ENCLOSED PARALLEL CHANNELS Robert T. Elias, Downers Grove, Ill., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 544,426 Int. Cl. B32b 31/00 U.S. Cl. 156269 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to packages having totally enclosed parallel channels therein and to a method for mass producing package blanks from which said packages can be formed. The invention is principally characterized by a novel method of forming package blanks from continuous rolls of flat and corrugated package material, and by a novel method of cutting package blanks in the form of interlocked T shapes to minimize wastage of material. The invention is also characterized by a novel T-shaped package blank for forming a package having totally enclosed parallel channels.

In packaging cylindrical objects such as small arms ammunition or the like, it is desirable to provide a plurality of parallel channels within the package so that the cylindrical objects will not rattle around loosely in the package after it has been partially emptied. This has been done in the past by placing a separate fluted insert within the package after it has been formed, the fluted insert comprising a corrugated material defining a plurality of adjacent parallel channels for receiving cylindrical objects. This invention provides an improved package of the above noted type and an improved method of mass producing such packages with a minimum of waste material and a minimum of time.

In accordance with the method of this invention, packages with a plurality of totally enclosed parallel channels are formed by attaching a web of corrugated package material to a Web of flat package material and then by die cutting the combined materials in such manner as to form a blank with the corrugated material being an integral part of the blank. This eliminates the step of placing a corrugated insert into the package after it is formed, and it also eliminates the inner lining material which has been customarily used in the past to prevent the prior art corrugated insert from buckling. In accordance with a further aspect of this invention, the corrugated material is secured to the center of a larger Web of flat material, and package blanks in the form of interlocking T-shaped configurations are cut from both sides of the large web to insure a minimum of Waste material. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the individual package blanks are shaped so that they can be easily folded into a closed package which is sturdy in construction, easy to fill, and easy to open.

Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide an improved package having totally enclosed parallel channels and an improved package blank therefor.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method of forming package blanks for packages having totally enclosed parallel channels.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of one specific embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of one specific method of forming package blanks in accordance with this invention;

United States Patent C 'ice FIG. 2 is a plan view of one specific package blank of this invention;

FIG. 3 shows the first step of folding the package blank of FIG. 2 into a package;

FIG. 4 shows the remaining steps in folding the package blank of FIG. 2 into a closed package;

FIG. 5 shows a closed package formed from the package blank of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the plane 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional View taken on the plane 77 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on the plane 8-8 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 9 shows the closed package of FIG. 5 with one of the tabs thereof opened to empty the contents of one of the parallel channels therein.

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of apparatus for forming package blanks in accordance with the method of this invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a continuous Web of corrugated package material 10 is fastened to the center of a continuous web of fiat package material 11 by means of a cylindrical adhesive roller 12, which applies an adhesive to the ridges of corrugated material 10, and a fluted pressure roller 13, which presses the corrugated material 10 against the fiat material 11 to produce an adhesive bond between the adhesive coated surfaces of the corrugated material 10 and the flat material 11. The corrugated and fiat package material, which can comprise any suitable material such as fiberboard or the like, are drawn respectively from feed rolls 14 and 15. Although the supporting and driving mechanism for feed rolls 14 and 15 are not shown in the drawings, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that any suitable prior art supporting and driving means can be used to convey the materials from their feed rolls to the rollers 12 and 13 which join the materials together. It will also be understood that suitable prior art support and guiding means must be used throughout the length of the combined Web to support it and to guide it through the indicated operations. Since these means are not germaine to the method of this invention, they are not disclosed in the drawings, and it is to be understood that any suitable prior art guide and support means can be used in connection with this invention.

As will be described later, the central position of corrugated material 10 with respect to the flat material 11 is an important feature of the method of this invention. Although the corrugated material could be fastened to one side or the other of the flat material, the central position indicated in FIG. 1 permits package blanks to be cut from eitherside of the combined web materialin an interlocking T-configuration which minimizes wastage of material. The cutting is performed by die means 16, which can comprise any suitable prior art die for cutting, scoring, and forming fold lines in package blanks. Die means 16 is synchronized with fluted roller 13 so as to insure that the channels defined by the troughs in corrugated material 10 will bear a predetermined relationship to the boundaries of the package blank, as will be explained in detail later. The means for synchronizing die means 16 with a fluted roller such as roller 13 is also well known in the art, and any suitable prior art synchronizing means can be employed in the method of this invention.

Die means 16 is adapted to cut the combinedweb material generally along the lines indicated as A, B, C, D, E, F and B, G, H, I, I. This produces interlocked pairs of generally T-shaped package blanks as indicated by the numerals 18, 18', 19, and 19' in FIG. 1. In each of these generally T-shaped blanks, the stem of the T is formed by a section of the corrugated material 10, and the cross bar of the T is defined by a wider strip of flat package material. In this particular embodiment of the invention, the stem of the T is approximately half the width of the cross bar of the T, so that when the T blanks are interlocked with their stems adjacent and their cross bars opposing, as shown in FIG. 1, the waste material is held to a very low value. This is particularly important in the packaging art, where millions upon millions of packages must be formed for any given item on a continuing basis.

After the package blanks have been cut as indicated in FIG. 1, they are removed and packaged by conventional means not shown in the drawings. In some applica tions of the invention, the lower side of fiat web 11 will be printed or embossed at a printing station located between fluted roller 13 and die means 16. In other applications of the invention, the flat web 11 may be pre-printed when it is rolled onto feed roll 15. But since the particular method of printing is not germaine to this invention, the printing means is not shown in the drawings. t

of the flat material 11 and an overlying section of corrugated material attached thereto and defining five individual channels as indicated by the numbers 21 through 25. The channels 21 through 25 are defined by corresponding ridges 26 through 31 in the corrugated material, and opposite each of the channels 21 through 25 a corresponding tab 32 through 36 projects from the plain material which underlies the corrugated material in panel 20. Tabs 32 through 36 serve as inner closures for their particular channels, as will be explained later. The

channels 21 through 25 are correctly aligned with respect to their opposing tab members 32 through 36 by synchronizing the cutting die 16 with fluted roller 13 at the start of the operation so that the cutting action does not occur until the channels of the corrugated material are correctly positioned with respect to the die. This assures the proper positioning of the channels 21 through 25 with respect to the boundaries of base panel 20 and also with respect to their opposing tab members 32 through 36.

Immediately adjacent to base panel 20 is a first side 1 panel 37 which is defined by fold lines 38, 39, 40 and 41. Adjacent to fold lines 39 and 41 are two side tabs 42 and 43. Also adjacent to side panel 37 is a second main panel 44, which is defined by fold lines 40, 45, 46, and 47. It will be apparent from the drawings that second main panel 44 serves to cover the open tops of channels 21 through 25 on first main panel 20, and that side panel 37 serves to close off one end of the channels 21 through 25.

Two additional side panels 48 and 43 are joined on opposing sides of main panel 44 by means of fold lines and 51. Side panel 49 is defined by fold lines 45 and 50, while side panel 48 is defined by fold lines 47 and 51. A first lap panel 52 is foldably attached to the side of side panel 48, and a second lap panel 53 is foldably attached to the side of side panel 49. Lap panels 52 and 53 are coated with an adhesive material K at their outer ends for sealing to the bottom surface of main panel 20. Foldably joined to the remaining side of main panel 44 is a fourth side panel 54 defined by fold lines 46, 55, 56, and 57. Side tabs 58 and 59 are foldably joined to opposing ends of side panel 54, and an end closing panel generally indicated by the numeral 60 is foldably joined to side panel 54 by fold lines 56. For convenience in opening the package formed from this package blank, closing 4 tab 60 is divided into five independently openable rip strip tabs as indicated by numerals 61 through 65. The end of each rip strip tab is fitted with a fingernail tab defined by a fold line 66 and by notches 67 through 70 indented in the outer edge of panel 60. Panels 60 and 54 are divided into independent rip strips by means of perforations 71 through 74, and a strip of adhesive material K is applied to panel 60 between fold lines 56 and 66 to secure panel 60 to the bottom surface of base panel 20.

FIGS. 3 through 9 illustrate the method by which the blank of FIG. 2 is folded into a closed package. As shown in FIG. 3, the package blank is first folded along fold lines 38 and 40 to bring main panel 44 into opposing relationship with main panel 20, thus closing off the open top and one open end of the channels 21 through 25 defined by the troughs 26 through 31 in the corrugated material of main panel 20. Cylindrical objects such as the round of ammunition R indicated by phantom lines in FIG. 3 can be inserted into the channels 21 through 25 at any appropriate stage of the package forming operation, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

After main panel 44 has been brought into contact with the ridges of the corrugated material forming a part of main panel 20, tabs 42, 59, 43, and 58 are tucked in, and the package blank is bent along fold lines 45, 50, 47, and 51 to seal lap panels 52 and 53 to the botom of main panel 20 as best indicated in FIG. 4. Then, assuming that the contents of the package have already been inserted into their respective channels at this point, the package is closed by folding the package blank along fold lines 46 and 56 (FIG. 5) to bring side panel 54 over the open end of channels 21 through 25 and to seal panel 60 to the surface of lap panels 52 and 53 and to the exposed portion of main panel 20 as best illustrated in FIG. 5. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the inner tabs 32 through 36 (FIGS. 2 and 3) must be tucked in before panels 54 and 60 are closed. It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that inner tabs 32 through 36 are not essential to the package and package blank of this invention, but that they serve to add an extra thickness of material to prevent the pointed ends of the ammunition rounds R from puncturing or distorting panel 54, as best indicated in FIGS. 8 and 9.

The above described package can be conveniently opened to dispense one round at a time by inserting a fingernail under the appropriate one of the fingernail tabs 61 through and tearing the tab along the perforated lines as indicated in FIG. 9. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the score line 66 makes it easy to insert a fingernail under tab 61 for the purpose of tearing it free along the perforated line. This small convenience may be very important to a hunter when he has to open a package of ammunition in the field during the winter time, and the ability to remove the cartridges one at a time without spilling the others is equally important under these conditions.

While one form of the package blank and package blank forming method of this invention has been shown for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that various changes in the details of construction, arrangement of parts, and steps of the method may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, although the flutes of the corrugated material are transverse to the direction of Web movement in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, they could be placed parallel to the direction of web movement if desired. The end closing panel and tear tabs could be foldably attached to the first main panel rather than to the second main panel as shown, and the corrugated material could be formed from a roll of flat material instead of being taken from a roll of pre-corrugated material as shown. These and many other modifications of the disclosed examples will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and this invention includes all modifications falling within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A method of forming package blanks having a plurality of parallel channels attached thereto comprising the steps of advancing a continuous strip of substantially flat package material, advancing a continuous strip of corrugated package material having a plurality of parallel channels therein, attaching said corrugated material to one surface of said flat material to form a combined package material, and cutting the combined package material in a substantially T-shaped configuration with the stern of the T comprising a section of said corrugated material and the cross-bar of the T comprising a section of said flat material to thereby form package blanks having a plurality of parallel channels attached thereto.

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said T -shaped package blanks are cut from opposite sides of said strip of combined package material with the stem end of each T shaped blank being adjacent to the lower crossbar edge of two T-shaped blanks cut from the opposite side of said strip of combined material, and the stem of each T-shaped blank being flanked by the stems of said two T-shaped blanks cut from the opposite side of said strip of combined material.

3. A method of forming package blanks having a plurality of parallel channels attached thereto comprising the steps of advancing a continuous strip of substantially flat package material, advancing a continuous strip of corrugated package material having a plurality of parallel channels therein, attaching said corrugated material to one surface of said flat material to form a combined package material, and cutting the combined package material into side-by-side alternately inverted T-shaped configurations to form package blanks each of a T-shaped configuration having a plurality of parallel channels attached thereto wherein the stem of each T comprises a section of the corrugated material and the cross-bar of each T comprises a section of the flat material.

4. A method of forming package blanks having a plurality of parallel channels attached thereto, comprising the steps of advancing a continuous strip of substantially flat package material, advancing a continuous strip of corrugated package material having a plurality of parallel channels therein, said corrugated material being narrower in width than said flat material, attaching said corrugated material to the central portion of one surface of said flat material to form a combined package material, cutting the combined package material to form substantially T-shaped package blanks with the stem of the T comprising a section of said corrugated material and the crossbar of the T comprising a section of said flat material, said T-shaped package blanks being cut from opposite sides of said strip of combined material with the stem end of each T-shaped blank being adjacent to the lower crossbar edge of two T-shaped blanks cut from the opposite side of said strip of combined material, and the stern of each T-shaped blank being flanked by the stems of said two T-shaped blanks cut from the opposite side of said strip of combined material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,121,817 12/1914 Ferres 156470 3,311,524 3/1967 Hecker 156-471 3,172,796 3/1965 Gulker 156269 3,236,713 2/1966 Tatf 156-510 DOUGLAS J. DRUMMOND, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

